I had a miserable experience in the healing process of the full color "Seventh Son..." tattoo on my leg.
I think I put on too much ointment for too long and my pours ended up getting clogged and I developed what was basically a nasty rash on the tattoo area. I'm not totally positive this is what caused it, as I think it's possible that I may have had an allergic reaction to some of the pigments . I've read that red/orange can have this effect on some people (all of my previous tattoos are black/grey). It was a tortuous week of pure hell restraining myself from scratching the shit out of the damn thing, but thankfully it cleared up without a single imperfection.

You definitely want the thinnest possible layer on, and no more. It gets kind of gooey and gross after awhile, which is why you wash it and re-apply. Use 'mycitracin' shit though, as it rules to the max._________________Good deals with: Numerator41, addison, deathsleep, witch sermon, xyosefx, invinCIBility (4X), Weltbrand (2X), DrkKnight, K-mart (2X), drinks, LifeDepraved

You definitely want the thinnest possible layer on, and no more. It gets kind of gooey and gross after awhile, which is why you wash it and re-apply. Use 'mycitracin' shit though, as it rules to the max.

Haha, yeah, I will definitely be following your advice on future pieces. I think I just went overboard trying to keep it hydrated, but I didn't let it 'breathe' enough (as the gentile washing off of old layers of ointment would do).

I used to use ointments and stuff but as mentioned they just get gross.

The best method ive come to is simply wash 2-3 times a day with unscented anti-bacterial soap, and pat dry. Do this until rudimentary scabs form, then just use lotion when shit gets dry and tight. As long as you don't pick the scabs you'll be fine.

Anything beyond that ive found to be unnecessary._________________"They consider "dark" works made by 2 notes, full of keyboards useful only to enter in the posers temple."

Like any light surface abrasion type injury to your skin... you wash it once, well, with soap (anti-bacterial if your on the hypochondriac side) and then you try to avoid washing or getting the area wet again until it has healed. IF you happen to get a lot of scabbing because your tattooist has shredded your flesh or your a real bleeder for some reason, you apply, sparingly, some lotion onto the scabs to keep them from cracking open and causing the area to bleed. Thats it._________________Myths (Vinyl) - click me"What I have learned after six decades in audio"

Scabs form much more often when your skin dries out. You often lose some ink in the place a scab was. You do not want scabs to form on a healing tattoo. If you consider scabs a normal part of the healing process, you are not caring for your tattoos properly. A scab does not fundamentally mean you will lose ink in that place, but if it falls/gets scratched off, you will. Scabs = higher chance of ink loss. It is theoretically possible to keep it moisturized well enough with just lotion, but I have never seen someone not scab up when doing that.

Hotblack, you have either been given bad info on tattoo care, or are completely talking out of your ass. As stated, I have used the method described on the last page on *over half of my body* and have had about 3 pinhead-size scabs form, and have never, not even once, lost ink and had to have a touchup. Tobias is effectively correct, but understates the fact that scabs often fall off, get accidentally scratched off etc. That dramatically increases the odds of losing small patches of ink. I try to not get scabs in the first place.

I use this method because virtually every high-profile artist recommends it, and it is how I was taught to care for mine. You can believe the corner artist fuckwit who gave you bad info all you want, but I recommend listening to people who know what the fuck they're talking about.

Go look on legitimate artists' sites (eg Booth, Raines, Renshaw, Tyrrell, the Kerns, Capobianca, Lolly, Clue, whoever the newer guys are etc) and I guarantee their advice will vary but will have two things in common:
1) You need to keep it clean, and
2) You need to keep it moist.

They'll all say to wash it though, retard. That's the fucking point. Any person who tells you not to keep a tattoo clean by washing it gently by hand with soap/water is a clueless idiot. You'll see different opinions on ointments because a) some people have reactions to them, and b) using too much has an adverse effect.

But keeping it clean? There's no difference in opinion there whatsoever among people who know what the fuck they're talking about. I posted the way to care for a tattoo because the guy on the last page was already talking about scabs like a day after getting it done, and then you guys started posting mumbo jumbo about not washing them, which is utterly wrong. You should not go swimming, stand in a shower, soak in a tub etc, but keeping it clean/moist is tattoo care 101._________________Good deals with: Numerator41, addison, deathsleep, witch sermon, xyosefx, invinCIBility (4X), Weltbrand (2X), DrkKnight, K-mart (2X), drinks, LifeDepraved

Your not the only one with lots of Tattoos. Mine have all healed absolutely perfectly... and very quickly. As have my many cases of road rash from cycling. It worked for you, that's great. I don't think your way is the most effective or efficient method and that's that. Let whomever reads our advice decide._________________Myths (Vinyl) - click me"What I have learned after six decades in audio"